Apple Is Selling More iPhones Than Ever, and More Expensive Phones

Strong sales of Apple Inc.’s new iPhones are pushing the company close to rival Samsung Electronics Co. as the world’s top seller of smartphones.

Samsung overtook Apple as the biggest smartphone maker in the third quarter of 2011, according to research firm Canalys. Since then, Samsung has maintained its lead—in shipments if not profits—by offering a wide range of phones.